The present invention relates to a pediculocidal composition. More particularly, the present invention is of compositions which contain anise oil as at least one of the active ingredients and which have unexpectedly significant activity against lice.
Volatile oils are well known in the art for the treatment of medical problems. For example, these oils have been used in folk medicine, natural therapy, aromatherapy and even in traditional (Western) medicine. Volatile oils in connection with the present invention are those essential oils embraced by the definition in Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 4th Edition, page 248.
A number of volatile oils found in plants are known to repel or kill insects. The volatile oils might be part of the mechanisms which plants use to protect themselves from attack by insects and animals. This property to kill or repel insects has also been exploited to produce various medicines. For example, the use of volatile oils in the treatment of parasitic infestations is described in "The Manual of Natural Therapy" by M. Olshevsky, B. Noy and M. Zwang (Published by Facts of Life, New York, 1989). For scabies, the following treatment is suggested (pp 183, 185): "Use the essence of geranium 5% in olive oil base and massage the affected part of the skin once per day until condition improves." For lice, the following is suggested (P. 185): "Rub the whole body with the following combination in olive oil base: crushed garlic 10%, lavender essence 3%, thyme 2%, rosemary 4%. Do this treatment once per day until condition improves."
Lice belong to the group of external parasites living on warm blooded animals. In humans, lice are responsible for pediculosis, a parasitic infestation of the skin, trunk or pubic areas. There are three different varieties: (1) Pediculosis pubis caused by Pithirus pubis; (2) Pediculosis corporis, caused by Pediculus humanus humanus; and (3) Pediculosis capits, caused by Pediculus humanis capatis.
Scabies is a common type of dermatitis, or irritation of the skin, caused by infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabisi. This skin disease affects humans and is also found in various forms in animals such as dogs, cattle, sheep, camels and birds.
Both scabies and pediculosis are conditions which affect millions of humans world-wide. A variety of treatments are known in the art for scabies or lice infestations but none has succeeded in eradicating these two conditions. Epidemics of scabies and of pediculosis appear to be cyclical in nature.
Although certain volatile oils, such as rosemary oil, have been suggested as treatments, these volatile oils have a number of drawbacks. First, the volatile oils are rather expensive. Moreover, the traditional way to use pure volatile oils, by direct application of the pure oil to the skin, frequently causes skin irritation, accompanied by a burning sensation and erythema, when applied to the skin. Diluting the volatile oils in a fixed oil such as olive oil may reduce these side-effects but also reduces their potency. The resultant treatment is less effective and often requires repeated applications. Fixed oils in connection with the present invention are those embraced by the definition in Hackh's Dictionary (Chemical). 4th Edition, page 269. Dissolving a volatile oil in an alcohol, e.g. ethanol, retains the anti-insect properties but also retains the undesired side-effects, e.g., the burning sensation on the skin and erythema.
Furthermore, the background art neither teaches nor suggests a composition which includes anise as at least one of the active ingredients and which also includes an alcohol and a vegetable oil or other suitable type of fixed oil. Certainly, the background art neither teaches nor suggests such a composition for the treatment of lice. For example, United Kingdom Patent Application No. 2,228,411 teaches a cosmetic composition for application to the skin, which includes ethyl alcohol and vegetable oil, and which may optionally include rosemary essential oil. However, United Kingdom Patent Application No. 2,228,411 neither teaches nor suggests anise oil as a suitable ingredient for this cosmetic composition.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,055 teaches a composition which includes vegetable oil, ethyl alcohol and an herbal extract, but neither teaches nor suggests anise oil as a suitable type of herbal extract. In any case, the taught composition is a salad dressing spray foodstuff and is not taught to have any type of activity against lice.
United Kingdom Patent Application No. 1,574,609 teaches a pesticidal composition, but neither teaches nor suggests anise oil as a suitable ingredient for this composition.
It has therefore been desirable to find a pharmaceutical or veterinary composition which has the desired anti-insect properties, in which a lower concentration of volatile oils may be used, particularly the volatile oil anise oil, and which has no adverse effect on the skin.